Arc Manche was formally launched six years ago to forge closer links between local councils in southern English counties with their counterparts in northern France.

In fact, the Arc Manche network has been around since 1995.

So the Express eventually stated it's about 'forging closer links between councils' rather than a 'plot' to 'merge UK with France'. But how many Express readers will read - and believe - that after the screaming headline?

We are as surprised as your readers to hear that your newspaper believes the EU wishes to merge Britain and France. The suggestion that the “EU wants to merge UK with France”, 2nd May, is absurd, and of course, untrue.

There is no proposal to create a new cross-channel region. What exist (and have done for 10 years) are a number of cross-border programmes aimed at things like boosting jobs and looking after the environment.

Eurocrats were last night facing a revolt over a bid to force Britain to celebrate “Europe Day” next week.

Scores of public buildings are being ordered to fly the European Union flag to mark the occasion.

Officials will be expected to ensure it remains hoisted for a week from Monday. And those that disobey could be fined.

Or not, according to a letter sent to the Express from Jonathan Scheele, Head of European Commission Representation in the UK and Michael Shackleton, Head of European Parliament Information Office in the UK:

Regarding your front page of today, only 2 buildings in the UK are expected to fly the European flag for Europe Day and the Commission would not fine countries that did not do so. The rules that make this provision were passed in 2006 by all EU countries, including the UK. No other public building has to fly the flag on 9 May though some may choose to do so. Some schools want to do something to mark the day and ask us for ideas. We send these purely on demand and they in no way constitute “instructions”.

According to them the Editor of the Express, Hugh Whittow, has refused to publish their letter, thus failing to give a right of reply to those his paper has accused. And, of course, there's no way of complaining to the PCC since Richard Desmond withdrew from the self-regulatory system.

"Cameron would say that, the UK's most read and (falsely) trusted papers support him and his party and make no attempt at fair or balanced coverage."

No they don't suipport the Tories. It's a sweeping generalisation to assume that because the Mail is a rabid right wing paper they will automatically support the Tories. In fact the Mail has plenty of issues with the Tories.

The Mail/Express seem to switch between all sorts of things, supporting them one day and then just going all out UKIP the next, even dipping their toes into some BNP propaganda some days! Given the choice though, they do give better coverage to the Tories as opposed to Labour or LibDems.

For some bizzare reason the Express and Sun in Scotland support the SNP whole heartedly, yet would not be seen dead supporting separatism or left leaning politics South o' the border.

UKIP MEP Roger Helmer is getting in a tizzy both about Arc Manche and, as he puts it, "the EU’s insistence that its wretched Crown-of-Thorns flag be flown on public buildings in the UK during Europe Week (which starts Saturday May 7th, in case you’d missed it), under penalty of draconian fines."

A well-informed man, he gets his information from both the Express and the Mail.